Double Helix
by bamboo72498
Summary: Tess and Kate Ross have had 18 birthdays. These are those stories.
1. First

As is true with all baby's first birthdays, Tess and Kate Ross' came all too quickly. It seemed as if they had just been born and tightly swaddled in blankets, and in a blink of an eye the two girls were squirmy, crawling, talkative little things who would rather play than go to sleep at night.

Kate, a troublemaker through infancy, still held those tendencies. She was sly and mischievous and quick to cause trouble if left alone for too long. But her lopsided smile and big, round eyes usually meant she got no more than a stern scolding for her actions. She was loud and wanted her opinions heard _now_ , and if she wasn't heard, she would get louder and louder until she was.

Tess was equally loud, but more in an excited way. The world was so big and she wanted to share it with everyone. Everything was important to her, from a leaf on the ground to the next-door neighbor's new puppy barking over the fence. She got so excited that she just had to scream. Tess was little and sweet; always the first to come check on you if you got hurt. She was the reason the twins were put into separate rooms. The girl never slept! And it was affecting her sister, so her parents separated them earlier than they had planned, and it seemed to be working; Kate was sleeping through the night, and Tess wasn't bothering her with her insomnia.

Doug and Carol decided to keep the event small, just their family. Carol's mother had flown in for the occasion, and to spend Thanksgiving with them. She spoiled the girls rotten with new toys and clothes. She sang them Russian nursery rhymes and played countless games of pat-a-cake. Tess and Kate loved playing with their grandma and crawling all over her and cuddling during quiet time.

Helen had not only brought along her own gifts for the girls,music boxes for each of them with their names etched on the top that played different songs ('A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes' for Kate and 'When you Wish Wish Upon a Star' for Tess), but also gifts from Mark and Elizabeth. The two couples had stayed in contact after Carol had officially moved out west, including a phone call the day after Thanksgiving from Elizabeth to wish the twins a happy birthday as well as to announce her pregnancy, which was met with such joy and excitement from her friends. The gifts were two fairy tale books with different covers and containing different stories.

Thanksgiving came and went; parades were watched, good food was eaten, and at the end of the evening, all the adults collapsed on the couch in a food coma while the young sisters slept peacefully in their cribs.

Two days later, the twins officially turned a year old.

It had been one year since that snowy Thanksgiving. Since Luka had carried her from the EL station to the ER when she passed out; since Kerry had cut a deal with her, and Chuni and Haleh had held her hand as she delivered her first daughter. A year since Mark had abandoned his Thanksgiving dinner with his family to rush to her side and hold her hand, since a nurse she had just met a few hours prior instantly knew something was wrong and rushed her into surgery; since Mark had listened to her wishes, yelled at Dr. Coburn, and saved her life. It had been a year. And there Carol stood, in the doorway between the kitchen and living room, holding the pastel iced cake with 'Happy Birthday Tess and Kate' written on it, watching her daughters laugh and scream and crawl around as they played with their birthday gifts, admiring for a moment how her life had become this, how it had gone from such heartache and depression to happiness and beauty.

"Okay, you guys ready for some cake?" Carol asks, setting the treat on the dining table.

"Yeah!" Doug cheers, scooping both of his daughters into his arms and bringing them to the table, their grandmother close behind. Once Tess and Kate were buckled into their high chairs, candles were lit, the happy birthday song was sung, and two pieces of cake are set in front of the toddlers. Kate is not so sure of the food in front of her, studies it for a bit before testing it with a finger full of icing. Tess is more willing to stick her hands into her cake, getting most of it everywhere but into her mouth, but at least she was having fun. Pictures were snapped to preserve the memories. A wonderful day was had by all.

Once the girls were in bed, Carol made herself scarce for a bit, giving her mom and Doug some time to really sit down and talk about the elephant in the room. The two found seats on the back porch where they could see the water and the rain falling softly. After a long silence where they each sipped from their drink of choice, words began to flow. Helen was still angry and hurt at Doug for everything he had done to her daughter, including not coming back when Carol told him she was pregnant. Doug knew she was right, about everything. He had messed up; he was cowardly and thought the best solution was to leave. And he knew he should have come back, but something stopped him; something intangible that neither he nor Carol could describe. But deep down they both wanted the same thing for Carol: for her to be happy. And Helen could plainly see she was truly happy in Seattle with her girls and Doug. So she put the past behind her and promised to forgive and forget.

"Everything okay?" Carol asks, materializing in the doorway.

"Yeah, we're okay," Helen says with a nod

"Good," Carol smiles, stealing a swig of Doug's beer and letting him pull her onto his lap and wrap his arms around her.


	2. Second

**A/N: Thanks guys for the love on the first chapter. So here is the second one and I'm sorry for what's about to happen. Please don't hate me. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Hey, hey!" Doug calls through the open window as he pulls up to the curb of the pick-up area of Sea-Tac airport. The small family waiting for him, turn at his voice and smile widely, even the teenager with headphones on manages a smile at seeing an old friend for the first time in a long time. Doug parks and rounds the car, exchanging hugs with Mark and Elizabeth and Rachel and gives the baby in the carrier attached to Elizabeth's chest a kiss and rubs a hand over her head. "Hi, Ella, it's really good to meet you," he smiles. "Come, on let's get this stuff put away and hit the road."

And in no time, their bags have been packed into the trunk and everyone has claimed seats, Mark in the passenger seat, the three girls, with baby Ella in her infant seat in middle, take up the back. The adults spend the time catching up, sharing stories of lost time and missed events. Including a trip to New York the previous December that left a pink scar across Mark's head. Mark knew that his friends would have flown across the country in a second if he wanted them too, and Doug and Carol knew that their friend was tough and didn't need them hovering over him like they probably would have if they had gone. But they were happy that everything worked out alright and he could be there to celebrate the girls' birthday.

Before long, Doug was pulling off the expressway and into their neighborhood.

"Well, isn't this lovely," Elizabeth remarks, which makes the boys up front laugh.

"Damn, Doug! You did good. They must be paying you nice," Mark says as they turn down the street and up into the driveway.

"Eh, I do okay," Doug shrugs with a nonchalant smile, turning off the car.

Carol, who had been eagerly waiting for them to arrive, slams open the door and runs to them, arms wide, squealing happily. She hugs Rachel and Elizabeth and finally turns to Mark. She starts to cry the second her eyes land on her best friend; happiness, sorrow, anger and regret all at once. Mark pulls Carol into his chest, hugging her tight as she cries. He whispers secret words into her hair and slowly rocks them side to side until her sobs slow to hiccups and then stop entirely. Carol finally looks up, eyes still wet, but manages to smile for her friend. "We're really glad you guys came."

Mark chuckles and kisses her forehead. "Wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"I think someone would like to meet you," Elizabeth interjects, changing the subject to one of a happier matter. She turns Ella in her arms to face outward, and the seven-month-old smiles at them, drool falling out of her mouth.

"Hey there, sweetheart," Carol gasps. She takes Ella from her mom and holds her to the sky before setting her on her hip. "Oh my god, she's beautiful. Come on, let's go inside." She leads the way, still holding the baby, pulling open the screen door.

"Mama!"

"Daddy!" The sisters who had been waiting inside shout when their parents appear, rushing into their legs.

"Whoa!" Doug shouts, swiftly and skillfully scooping up one twin while stepping over the other. "Easy there, kiddo," he says, kissing his daughter's cheeks, moving further into the house.

"God, look at them," Mark says. "They got so big."

"I know, they're already eating us out of house and home. I don't even want to think about when they're teenagers," Carol says, setting Ella on the floor, watching as she crawls over to a forgotten toy. Offended that a stranger is playing with her toys, Tess shouts and wriggles down from her dad's arms, runs over to Ella, and snatches the toy from her hands. Which, of course, causes the baby to burst into tears.

"Little Bear, no. You have to share with Ella, okay?" Carol tries.

"No, mine," Tess insists.

"It's okay, Carol," Rachel speaks for the first time since they had arrived. "Ella, come here," She says, letting Tess take the toy, picking up her sister and distracting her with one of her own toys. After a few moments, Ella calms down, and the fight is soon forgotten.

"Little Bear?" Elizabeth asks, opening her hands when Tess brings the toy over.

"Doug came up with it," Carol says.

"Ah, I see," Elizabeth nods. "Hello, Kate. You're such a big girl now. I remember when you were just a baby like Ella," she says to the toddler before her, playing with the princess Little People doll.

"I no Kate," Tess says, turning her brown eyes on Elizabeth.

"I'm sorry. Tess," Elizabeth corrects. "I don't know how you don't get them mixed up more," she says to Carol.

"It's easy once you get to know them," she says. "But we've mixed them up our fair share. Haven't we, Bean?" Carol asks Kate, who smiles up at her with a crinkled face from where she is happily playing with Rachel and Ella.

"Oh my god!" Elizabeth gasps, having just then noticed the view out the giant windows that made up one wall of the large great room.

Mark whistles as he looks out the window and onto the water. "Damn." Is all the words he can come up with.

"I know," Carol nods, knowing exactly what her friend is thinking. "Come on, I'll give you a tour and then show you your room."

[] []

The twins' second birthday was bigger than their first. Doug and Carol had made friends from work and the girls had friends from their daycare class. In the days leading up to the party, Tess danced around the house babbling nonstop about her 'Blue Party' and 'friends' and 'treats'. Inspired by the cartoon the girls loved very much, Tess and Kate's second birthday would be themed after 'Blue's Clues'

The Saturday before Thanksgiving their house was full of people. Kids running all over, screaming and laughing and fighting over toys. Parents munching on the table full of snacks, talking amongst themselves and attempting to break up the fights over toys.

Introductions were made between old friends and new, and embarrassing stories were told that turned a few sets of cheeks red. But it was all in good fun, and laughter continued to fill the room. Rachel, obviously the oldest child in the room, found a role as official balloon tier. Her fingers almost went numb from the sheer amount she had tied, but a smile never left her face the entire time. She even taught the kids how to bounce the balloon off their heads and hands and how to keep it from touching the ground, which they all loved.

Tess and Kate loved all the attention they were getting and playing with their friends and eating way too many treats. Together they made quite the pair; big brown eyes that, despite the mischief they got up to, allowed them to skip punishment a lot of the time, especially when it came to their dad. They were both girlie girls, who love princesses and dresses. And though they were very similar in a lot of ways, they were also different. Tess was very dramatic; everything was a big deal. If she got even the slightest bump or scrape, it was the end of the world. She was little and cuddly. Kate was a protector. If someone offended or hurt her or anyone she cared about, she was going to make sure that person paid for it. She was sensitive and shy at the same time, always the last to warm up to a new situation.

By the time the cake came out, the house was covered in loose toys, but everyone was still having a great time. Tess and Kate, in there matching Blue's Clues t-shirts, grey leggings and pink and blue tutu's, were set into their booster seats, which had been decorated with streamers and balloons for the occasion. And after Carol lit the candles, all the twins friends and family sang them Happy Birthday. The cake, decorated with Blue and Steve and all their friends with 'Happy Birthday Tess and Kate' written in pink and blue icing, was quickly sliced and handed out.

After a bit more playtime, everyone was rounded up once again for the girls to open their presents. And, just like last year, they both were spoiled rotten. And not long after the toys were removed from their colorful wrapping, did the girls demand their mom and dad free them from their packaging so they could be played with. Blocks, baby dolls, dress-up clothes; all the new toys that every child in the room was extremely excited to play with.

Once the meltdowns over the new toys started, the adults knew it was time to go, so they collected their belongings, and their children and with final good-byes, took their leave.

And suddenly, the house was quiet. Tess and Kate were happily playing with toys, baby Ella was peacefully sleeping upstairs; the rain that had begun to fall could be heard pattering on the windows and roof.

"Well, that was eventful," Elizabeth sighed as she sank down onto the couch. Doug handed her a beer as he sat down next to her.

"Makes you want to keep is small for Ella's birthday's, doesn't it?" he asks.

"Oh, no. It was very fun! I imagine Ella's parties will be quite similar to this one."

"You say that now, but when it's your house and you're cleaning up the tenth spilled cup of juice off the floor, you'll rethink that."

Mark and Carol listened from the kitchen where they were cleaning up the remains of the food and chuckled quietly.

"I'll make sure we keep it small," he tells her.

"Sure you will," she says sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey!" he laughs, in mock offense.

They dance around each other, putting away food and setting dishes in the sink

"I'm really glad you guys came," Carol repeats. "I've missed you, you know. Doug has too, though he won't say it out loud."

"I miss you guys too. It's not the same over there anymore," Mark explains, recalling the instant difference in the world when his best friends left. A shift in The Force, if you will. "But you're happy and he's happy and that's all I wanted," he nods, smiling.

"Thank you," Carol says, choking up, eyes filling with tears

"I mean, look at them," Mark says, pulling her close and pointing out her daughters who were happily dancing around in their new princess dresses to the music in their heads. "You did good mom," he says, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

They didn't know it at the time, but that would be the last time Mark and Carol would be together. A few months later, he would fall ill and eventually succumb to a recurrence of his cancer. Regrets were felt by both parties, of words not said and of not being in the right place at the right time. But they both knew the other loved them and that they were happy. That was all that mattered.


	3. Third

They wake to the sounds of tiny fists knocking on their bedroom door. Carol instantly rolls over and buries her face in his shoulder, whining for five more minutes.

"Mommy? Daddy?" a high-pitched voice asks through the wood.

He instantly regrets moving them into Big Girl beds.

The knob turns and a second later, two tiny bodies push through, both with sleepy pouts and bed-ruffled hair. One of Tess' pajama pant legs is pushed up to her knee, and Kate's shirt is on backward, and it makes Doug chuckle.

"Hey, babies!" he says to them, and the girls take that as their cue to climb into the bed and wiggle their way under the covers.

"Hi, mommy," Kate says, snuggling closer to her mom's side.

"Hi, baby Bean," Carol murmurs, still not really ready to get up. "What happened to your shirt?" She asks, finally noticing the disarray of the garment.

"The monster did it," Kate says with a frown.

"The monster, huh? Did he give you bad dreams too?" At her daughter's sad nod, Carol hugs her close. "Daddy will get rid of that monster. He won't be mean to you anymore, okay?".

"Really, Daddy? You will?" Kate asks, turning to her dad.

"Of course I will, Kate," he smiles.

"Thank you, Daddy!" Kate cheers, diving into him for a hug. Tess, who had been on her father's other side, gets a face full of sister and shoves on Kate to get her to move, which, inevitably, starts a fight between the twins.

"Hey, hey, none of that," Doug says, pulling his girls apart. "No fighting on your birthday."

"Our birthday!" Tess cheers, sitting up quickly. "Mommy! It's our birthday!" She says, crawling over her dad and sister to get to her mom.

"I know! Happy birthday, Bear!" Carol says, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "Do you remember how old you are now?"

"Two?" the girl guesses.

"No, you were two. But now you're three!"

"Three," she parrots, holding up three fingers.

"That's right!"

"And we're bringin' our Stitch cake to school!" Tess says, remembering the cupcakes the girls had picked out to bring to preschool to celebrate their birthday.

"You are," Carol agrees. "You ready to get dressed?"

"Yes!"

"No," both twins answer at the same time.

"Well if we don't want to be late, we have to," Carol says, getting up, and hauling Tess into her arms. The two head for Tess' bedroom, leaving Kate and Doug alone.

"I just wanna stay in my jammies," Kate says, sprawling herself out on the now empty side of the bed.

"I know," Doug says, rubbing her belly. "But I saw your birthday clothes, and they look really pretty. And if you stayed in your jammies all day, I wouldn't be able to see you in your pretty birthday clothes."

Kate thinks on her dad's statement for a moment before quickly rolling out of bed to the floor and whipping back to her dad. "I'm gonna go get dressed!" she grins, and a second later, all Doug sees of her are the ends of her hair.

[] []

An hour later, the family has congregated in the kitchen where the girls are helping their dad put the finishing touches on their special birthday breakfast: cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate.

"Mommy! This one is for you!" Kate calls from her perch on the counter. She holds up a plastic plate where two heavily frosted cinnamon rolls sit, her fingers covered in icing, waiting happily for her mom to take it.

"Thank you, Kate!" Carol smiles, grabbing both the plate and the girl and bringing them to the kitchen table. She sits down, with Kate in her lap, and offers one to her daughter. "I would love to share with you."

"Okay," Kate says, grabbing it and taking a huge bite, getting the icing all over her face.

"Mommy!" Tess shouts, running into the kitchen, her long pigtails swinging wildly. "Can I have lipstick?"

"Yes, but come eat first. We'll put some on after, okay?" Carol says, taking the pink tube of lipgloss from her daughter and setting it out of reach on the table. Tess climbs into her seat and starts eating the food her dad sets in front of her.

And for the first time that morning, the Ross house is silent save for the electrical hum of appliances and the sounds of chewing and the occasional sip of a drink.

[] []

It's a mad rush to finish getting ready and out the door. Breakfast dishes are stuffed into the dishwasher, ten tiny fingers and two identical faces are wiped free of sticky icing, four feet are slipped into shoes that complete two little girls' special birthday outfits: grey leggings, a layered ombre pink skirt and a pink and white baseball tee with 'Birthday Princess' written on it in glittery pink cursive. Tess' lips are smeared with a layer of pink gloss before a lime green jacket is slipped over her arms and she is herded out of the house with her mom to start the car.

Finally, everyone is in the car headed to work and preschool. Kate and Tess chatter happily about their plans to spend the day and sing along to the music on the radio, and their parents smother laughs when the toddlers get the lyrics wrong. Traffic is average for that time of day and eventually, Doug pulls the car into the hospital's parking garage.

[] []

A few hours later Doug and Carol took the elevator up from the ER to the daycare to watch their girls enjoy their birthday cupcakes with their friends. To say their day had been busy would be an understatement, and once the elevator door close, Carol instantly relishes the quiet, leaning back against the wall and taking a few deep breaths.

"You know there is talk from upstairs of me becoming an official Peds attending," Doug says, confiding the secret to his wife.

"Really? Oh my god! Doug, that's amazing!": Carol cheers, smiling. She steps off the wall and kisses him, still smiling. "You gonna get it, I know you are."

"But if I do get it it will mean longer hours and me not working much with you anymore. And not seeing the girls."

"We'll figure it out," Carol says, grabbing his hand. "We will," she looks up at him, eyes big and serious. "We will."

And suddenly the bell rings, the doors open and they are on their floor.

"I mean after today, I don't even think I wanna take it," Doug continues as they walk down the hall. "I loved what we did down there. That rush, us doing our thing, helping sick kids. I loved it."

"But like you said, you don't even know if you got it. So let's not get all worked up. When we know, we'll talk about it."

"You're the best, you know that?" He asks, dropping their hands and wrapping his arm around her shoulder and kissing her.

They're both smiling as they enter the primary colored daycare classroom, watching as all of the kids get settled into chairs at colored tables. They pick out Tess and Kate right away; hard to miss two little girls wearing crowns made out of construction paper. When the twins notice their parents, they squeal and dash over.

"Mommy! Do you see my crown! I'm a princess!" Kate says, grabbing onto her mom excitedly.

"I see, baby," Carol grins, straightening the lopsided pink crown. "Just like a princess."

Tess had pulled her dad over and was showing him the project they had made that day using crayons and paper to make rubbings of fall leaves.

"Can we have cupcakes now?" Kate asks their teacher, running over to where the treats sit on a high counter before getting an answer.

"Yes, will you help me?"

"Yes!" Tess and Kate answer eagerly. Their teacher hands Tess a stack of napkins and Kate a bin full of juice boxes and tells them to hand out one to each kid. It's a slow process, but eventually, everyone has one and are excitedly waiting for the completion to their snack.

The teacher tells Tess and Kate to sit and starts handing out cupcakes. She reminds the kids of the 'birthday kid has to take a bite before you can eat' rule and switches the empty plastic trays for a lighter.

Carol leans into Doug, suddenly getting emotional, watching as the teacher lights a candle in each of her daughter's cupcakes and leads the class in the Happy Birthday song. She watches as Tess and Kate blow out their candles and smile widely as they dig in.

They look so grown up sitting at a table with their preschool friends. But still so young with their tiny hands and fingers and little, delicate features. Tess with her swinging pigtails and Kate with her braids. Both girls with blue frosting all over their faces.

Her babies really aren't babies anymore.


	4. Fourth

The merriment of Kate and Tess' fourth birthday was overshadowed by the early arrival of their little sister. The baby girl, who Doug and Carol named Addison, was born nearly a month early and had to spend several weeks in the NICU. As such, the parents spent many hours in the hospital, not at work, but sitting by their daughter's bedside as the tiny girl grew stronger.

Tess and Kate, excited as they were to tell everyone about their new sister any chance they got, only knew of her through glass windows and grainy photographs.

November 25th arrives cold and rainy, and, after their traditional birthday breakfast of cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate, and seeing their dad off to work with lots of extra kisses, Carol bundles her four-year-olds in coats and hats and mittens and takes them to finally meet their sister in person.

"You have to be really gentle with her, okay?" Carol reminds her daughters as she walks with them down the hallway to the nursery. "She's really little and not as strong as you two are."

"Okay," the twins reply.

After the nurse buzzes them through the locked doors, Carol washes her hands at the sink and then helps her daughters wash theirs. After throwing away their trash, Carol squats down and takes Tess and Kate's hands in her. "You two have to be very quiet while we're in here, okay? There are lots of babies in here that are sleeping and it would be sad to wake them up. Okay?"

"Okay, mommy," Tess says.

"We'll be quiet," Kate nods, tugging at her mom's hand, eager to meet her sister.

"Okay," Carol says, standing, still holding the twins hands. She leads them on a winding path in and around many cots with many sleeping babies in them until they reach one particular cot with a tiny baby inside. Carol watches Addison's monitors intently, making sure everything is still alright. Then she flips open Addy's chart, going to that day's page and studies it.

She's still keeping up her body temperature. Good. Good.

It's the last hurdle Addison has to get over before finally being allowed to go home; something the tiny girl has had constant trouble with.

"You're having a good day, huh, baby girl," Carol whispers to the baby as she picks her up. "Your big sisters are here. They are really excited to meet you." Carol heads to one of the rocking chairs in the room, the twins right on her heels. She sits down, adjusting her hold on the baby, watching as the two big sister crowd around their mom to finally meet their sister.

"Be gentle, Kate," Carol whispers as the girl reaches out to touch the baby. Kate pulls back for a second, suddenly scared, but finally runs a finger over Addison's cheek, a wide smile crossing her face. Tess is studying her sister's hand, studying each finger before flipping it over to touch her palm. When Addy's hand reflexively closes over her sister's finger, Tess squeals, quickly looking at her mom.

"Mommy! She's holding my finger!"

Carol laughs at her daughter's excitement. "She is. She must like you, Bear."

"Me, too! See, mommy?" Kate asks, holding Addy's hand like her twin.

"I see," Carol says.

"Look at you, Bean! What do you think of your sister?" All three girls heads snap up when Doug speaks. The younger two are quick to drop their sister's hands and run to him for a hug, even though they had seen him not an hour before.

"Daddy! Baby Addison held my hand!"

"-and she's really little and her whole face is as big as my finger!" Both girls were talking at once, totally excited to tell their dad everything they had noticed about their sister.

"She did? Wow! That's so cool," Doug says, getting down to their level. "Kate, go sit where mommy is. You can hold the baby if you want." Kate is quick to go back to her mom and climb into the chair, and when Tess starts to protest, Doug is quick to quiet her. "Then it will be your turn. Be patient, Tess." The girl pouts against him but doesn't continue fighting her sister.

"Okay, be very still, Kate," Carol says, laying Addison across the preschooler's lap, helping to hold the newborn's head. She's suddenly choked up at the awed expression on her, now middle, daughter's face; watching as Kate studies her sister, the normally very squirmy girl not moving a bit as she holds her sister. Another minute passes before the decision is made for the twins to switch. Tess doesn't sit quietly studying the baby like Kate did, instead, she keeps us a constant stream of words, telling her baby sister about everything. Finally, she leans down and gently kisses her sister's forehead.

"I'll see you soon," she whispers.

And that's what makes Carol start crying. How sweet her babies are. She scoops Addison up as Tess stands and quickly turns away so the twins don't see her crying. As she's laying the baby back in her cot, she feels his hand come to the small of her back. He doesn't say anything; doesn't have to. Instead, he gives the baby a kiss and leaves to handle their other two daughters who are playing politician and making nice with everyone around.

After a moment, Carol rejoins her family and when Doug catches her eyes, he takes that as their cue to leave.

"Come on, you two. Let's go have some lunch before you have to go to school, huh?"


	5. Fifth

"Daddy! Daddy, do you see the M&M guys?" his daughter asks, turning to him excitedly, pointing to the character balloon on the tv screen in front of them.

Doug looks up from his coffee, not quite awake. "I see, baby." his unoccupied hand rubs the restless form of his oldest daughter resting on his lap. Tess had caught the flu that was going around and the girl was miserable.

Kate continues watching the parade, calling out the different characters she sees, more excited about the annual event than she has been in previous years.

"Mommy! Look!" Kate hollers again

"I see," Carol says, coming back into the room with her second cup of coffee. She hands the other mug in her hands to her mother, who sits in an armchair with Addison in her lap. Helen takes the mug and silently thanks her daughter, still making faces at Addy and replying to her babble. "Use your inside voice, remember, Kate? Tess-Bear doesn't feel good, so we have to be quiet."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. Sorry," Kate whispers.

"It's okay," Carol smiles.

The family watches the parade, giving their opinions and commentaries on the floats and balloons that go by.

"Buka, did you see? It was Abby Cadabby! She's a fairy who's friends with Elmo," Kate asks her grandma. The appearance of the pink fairy even gets a smile out of Tess, who hasn't paid much attention to the show in front of her.

"I did see, little on," Helen replies, looking around one granddaughter to see another. "She is very pretty."

During the next commercial, Doug manages to wriggle himself out from under Tess and heads into the kitchen to pop in their traditional birthday/thanksgiving breakfast. Twenty minutes later, he returns with a plate of steaming cinnamon rolls. He sets it, along with a stack of napkins on the coffee and settles back on the couch, helping his sick daughter fix herself on his lap again.

Kate is quick to dig in, getting icing all over her face and fingers. The food is one of her favorites and she relishes the times they have it. "Addy can have one too!" she declares, setting one of the rolls in front of her sister.

Addison, who is standing at the coffee table playing with a toy, drops it and looks at the food. She sticks a finger into the icing for a taste, and when she decides it's good, takes the whole thing into her tiny hands and brings it to her face.

Knowing there is a huge mess waiting to happen, Carol jumps up and takes the cinnamon roll from addy and rips it in half, handing one piece back to the one-year-old and putting the other back onto the table. Off her older daughter's wail that her mom messed it up, Carol explains. "She's still too little to eat a whole one like that, Bean. She needs help."

"And she's makin' a huge mess," Kate says, giggling at her messy sister.

"Yeah, she is," Carol laughs, watching her daughter eat the new food. "You know I think this might be her first cinnamon roll," Carol remarks, thinking back to whether or not Addy has tried the pastry before, but not coming up with a memory of it."What do you think, Bug? You like it?" Carol takes Addison's smile as a yes.

[] []

"Alright, go sit down, Mommy's gonna bring you a plate," Doug orders, carving knife in hand.

Kate and Addy scamper off to climb into their seats, with sick little Tess trailing behind. She claimed to feel good enough to try eating some food, but by the way she's acting, her parent's don't think she's up for it.

"Buka? What are you thankful for?" Kate asks her grandmother once everyone is served and seated at the table.

"I'm thankful that everyone I love is happy and healthy and that I got to come out here to see you," Helen answers, smiling at the child.

"Mommy? What are you thankful for?"

"I think I'm thankful for you and your sisters who make me smile every day and your Daddy who's had to put up with me for all these years," she winks at him, chuckling when he presses a rough kiss to her cheek. "And I'm thankful that next year I get to start a new job. I'm excited about the challenge of doing something different. What about you, Bean? What are you thankful for?"

"Hmm," Kate starts, looking up as if to think for a second. "I'm thankful for you and Daddy and Tess and Addy and Buka and all my friends and all my toys."

"That's really sweet," Doug starts. "Well, I'm thankful for all you girls and a job I'm happy with and am good at and the wonderful life we have here. And you, Buggy? What are you thankful for?" He asks, turning to the baby seated in a high chair next to him.

"Ba ba ba," Addison babbles. "Mama. Dadda. Ba."

"She said she's thankful for her family and her toys," Kate translates, watching her twin slide down from her chair and returns to the couch, having spent her stored energy on just two bites of food. She goes back to eating, listening as the adults start their own conversation.

[] []

Helen once again spoiled all three of her grandkids with all sorts of toys and books and clothes. And having missed Addison's first birthday, she presents her with her own special music box that played 'Fur Elise'. Addy was fascinated by it and spent nearly an hour listening to it and whining for it to be played again when the music stopped.

When bedtime rolls around, none of the girls put up a fight like they usually do.

"Happy birthday, Katie," Doug says, tucking his daughter in. "I love you. Sleep tight."

"I love you too, Daddy," the girl says, hugging him once more before snuggling deeper into her covers.

He flips off the light, leaving the nightlight plugged into the wall on and cuts through the girls' shared bathroom into Tess' purple-walled bedroom. The girl is laying on her back, mouth open as she snores quietly.

"Goodnight, baby Bear," Doug whispers, rubbing her hair back. "Happy birthday."


	6. Sixth

"Hi! Welcome in. Are we here for a party?" the girl behind the counter asks them as they walk through the front door, shedding winter coats and hats.

"It's our birthday!" Tess and Kate cheer at the same time.

"Oh that is so cool!" the girl smiles, typing on her computer. "Are you two 'Tess and Kate'?" she asks, checking their reservation.

"She's Kate. I'm Tess," the first-grader introduces. "I'm older, but Kate's taller."

"Good to know. If you two want to follow me, we can go pick out some birthday swag. And mom and dad? Ms. Bethany will help you finish checking in," the girl, whose name tag reads 'Angela', says, pointing to the other girl behind the counter.

Doug and Carol are already in the party room when the twins dash in, drawstring backpacks in their hands.

"Momma! Daddy! Look what we got!"

"Look! Look!" the girls shout at the same time, holding out their bags, Tess with purple and Kate with a green one.

"Wow! What did you get?" Carol asks, happily watching as both girls empty their bags. They both held the same things, but different colors: a t-shirt, water bottle, and a lanyard. "That's pretty cool," Carol are just finishing stuffing everything back in and handing the bags to their mom to be stowed in a corner when they friends start to arrive; the party has begun.

Twenty minutes later when all the kids arrive, Angela lest them into the room with five giant inflatables set up. The kids dash off in a hundred different directions, screaming and yelling for friends to follow. There is a regular bounce house, an obstacle course, a giant slide, a boxing ring complete with giant boxing gloves, and a round inflatable with an unstable platform in the middle that the kids can try and stand on and jump off of. The room was already loud without people in it, but with twenty-two kids running around and their parents and younger siblings that had tagged along, the sound inside had multiplied by a factor of one hundred.

[] []

"Stop jumping, Colby!" Kate calls out to the boy in her class as her little sister climbs into the bouncer. "Stop Jumping, Colby!" she shouts when he doesn't stop the first time. With his movement, Addy stumbles and falls onto her side. Kate, angry that the boy made her sister fall, rushing to him and pushes him. Hard.

"Hey!" he shouts pushing back. "That's not nice!"

"You should have stopped!" Kate shouts. "Addy is little! You have to be careful!"

"I didn't see her!"

"I told you to stop!"

"Hey! What's going on here?" Colby's mom asks, noticing her son and one of the birthday girls fighting.

"Mommy! Kate's being mean!"

"No, I'm not! I told him to stop jumping cause Addy is here and he didn't listen to me!"

"I didn't hear her!"

"You probably didn't," the mom says. "But you have to be careful. Colby Jack, look at me. You have to be careful with the baby in there with you, okay?"

"Okay," the boy pouts.

"Okay," the mom replies, walking away.

"Let's play tag," Colby suggests.

"Okay. Not it!" Kate shouts, dashing out, her friend not far behind, the little sister completely forgotten.

[] []

"Daddy! Come down the slide with us!" His twins call out to him, and with the laughing encouragement of the other adults, Doug Ross slips off his shoes and climbs the ladder to the top of the slide.

It definitely looked shorter from the ground.

"I'm not so sure about this, guys," Doug said quietly to his girls, suddenly nervous.

"Don't be scared, Daddy! It's really fun!" Kate encourages.

"Yeah! If Emmy can do it, you can too," Tess says, talking about the younger sister of one of her classmates.

"Okay," Doug says, sitting on the edge between them. "Ready?" he crags their hands. "One, two, three," and with shrieks, and flying hair, they slide down, crashing in a pile at the bottom. The girls stand up with giggles and wide smiles. But Doug is slow to roll over, groaning the whole time.

"Wasn't it fun, Daddy?" Kate asks

"Wanna go again?" asks Tess.

"Maybe later," Doug says, standing.

"Okay, the girls reply together, running off to play with their friends again.

"Oh, I can't do that anymore," Doug groans, going back to the adults, taking a long swig of his drink.

"Not a young buck anymore, huh, Doug?" Nathan Roberts asks. He and Doug have been friends for many years, and their teasing sarcastic humor is what their friendship is built on.

"I guess not," Doug shrugs. Carol chuckles, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Maybe you can't do that, but there is still lots of things you can do," she whispers only loud enough for him to hear.

"Damn right," He replies, raising his glass in a toast that no one else sees.

[] []

It was the race of a century. Sister versus sister. No holds bar. Winner take all. Well, winner take the other's Game Boy game collection for keeps.

They stood at the entrance of the obstacle course, waiting for their dad to say go.

Tess tucks her loose hair behind her ears, while Kate pulls up her leggings. They look at each other for a second but quickly look away.

"You're going down, Tess," Kate says.

"I am not! You are!" Tess replies, angry that her sister thinks she's going to win.

"You girls ready?" Doug interrupts.

"Ready," Kate nods, setting her face.

"Say 'go', Daddy," Tess says.

"Alright. Ready. Set. Go!"

The twins dash into the course, Tess taking the lead as Kate trips. All the kids cheer for who they want to win.

As the race continues, all anyone else can hear is the sister yelling and screaming, and the jumper rocking with their movements. But when a shadowed figure appears at the top on the final slide down, their cheering gets louder, and Doug and Carol hold their breaths, bracing themselves for the eventual meltdown that will happen with whoever loses.

"Tess wins!" her best friend, Anna, cheers and she slides down, Kate a close second.

"Yeah!" Tess cheers, throwing her hands in the air.

"Good job, Tess," her sister congratulates, holding out a hand. Tess slaps her five, smiling.

"Thanks," she says. "And you can still borrow your games if you want."

"Bet I can win them back!" Kate says, mischievously.

"No, you can't!" her twin says.

"Yes, I can! Ready? Go!" Kate shouts, diving back into the jumper.

"No fair! I wasn't ready!" Tess argues, following her twin.

"Oh this is not going to end well," Carol says, shaking her head. She goes back to the adult table and waits for the tears.

[] []

At six years old, Tess and Kate Ross are growing into their individual selves every day. Sure, they still have similarities, that are more than just their appearance. And that only makes the differences stand out more.

Kate is loud and outgoing, easily makes friends. She's snappy and sarcastic, like her mom, and knows how to roll her eyes like no one business (a trait her parents struggle to keep in check). She is athletic, and competitive, like her dad, but such a good sport; always making sure the other team is okay and not sad if they lost. She is still the taller of the two, and one of the tallest in her class at school.

Tess, on the other hand, is quiet and reserved. She is shy and has difficulty making friends, but once she has them, they are her person. She is silly and sweet and still little. She has a giant personality that is hard to crack into but once someone does, it lights up any room Tess is in. She has a giant smile that always reaches her eyes, and she laughs so easily. Tess loves dance and art and music; she even had a small roll in a community theater's production of 'Into The Woods' this past spring.

The two are competitive with each other. They both know exactly which buttons to push to get the other angry. But they also know how best to apologize and show their love to each other. As much as they fight, which is a lot, they also get along together so well. In a way that can only be described as a 'Twin Thing'.

[] []

"Open mine first!"

"No, Mine!"

"No, me first! You promised, Kate!"

Voices overlapped as the group of six and seven-year-olds crowded around their friends, waiting anxiously for them to open their presents.

"I promised," Kate says, looking up at her mom. "I have to open Gabbie's first."

"Well then go ahead, Bean," Carol says, waving her daughter forward.

Kate tears out the tissues from the gift bag and pulls out the box of a brand new Bratz doll. "Whoa! Cool!" Kate cheers. "Thank you, Gabbie!"

You're welcome, the little girl says, smiling so happy that her friend liked her present.

"Okay, my turn!" Tess stars, grabbing a gift from her pile.

"That's mine!" Jacob, a little Hispanic boy with black hair and dark brown eyes, pipes up.

"Thank you!" Tess calls as she rips open the wrapping paper. "It's a Tamagotchi! Mommy! Momma! Look! It's a Tamagotchi!" Tess says, holding up the toy.

"I see! That's cool, Tess."

"Thank you, Jacob!" Tess replies.

"You're welcome. I got Kate one too," he reveals.

The trend continues, with each twin opening a present until there are none left; the floor of the party room covered in bags and tissue paper and wrapping paper.

And just like that, the party is over. Kids collect their coats and shows, parents collect their kids. Kate and Tess say goodbye to their friends, giving hugs to a select few. With the help of their party host, Angela, Carol handles cleanup of their room, while Doug loads up the mountain of presents into the car.

"Ready to go?" Doug asks, coming back inside, scooping Addison into his arms

"Yeah, I think so," Carol answers, zipping up her coat. "Come on, girls, let's get home. Thank you," Carol says one last time to Angela, who had been such a big help.

"Of course. Hope to see you guys again soon! Happy birthday, Kate and Tess."

"Thank you!" The twins call, following their dad out to the car.

And when Angela goes back into the room to finish cleaning up, she finds a single pink sneaker forgotten in a corner.


	7. Seventh

"Tess! Kate! Come here!" Doug calls to his kids.

"What?" The girls ask, appearing at the top of the stairs.

"Come here! You have to see this!"

The trample down the stairs, sliding in their socked feet when they hit the hardwood.

"Where?" Tess asks.

"The front door. I was going out there to go to the store and I saw something in the driveway."

"What is it?" Kate asks, very curious now.

"I don't know," Doug shrugs, hiding a smile with much difficulty.

The three of them go through the front door and onto the driveway. Standing there on the pavement, camera ready to capture the memory, is Carol and Addison. Two brand new bicycles stand next to them.

"Happy birthday, girls," Carol smiles.

"Surprise!" Addy shouts, throwing up her arms, just as she had practiced.

He's behind them, so he doesn't see their faces. But from their screams, he knows they love their surprise.

"Whoa!" the twins shout, once they've calmed down a bit. "This is so cool!"

"We got you bikes!" Addison says, happily.

"Thank you, Addy! Thank you, Momma! Thank you, Daddy!" Tess says, giving her sister and parents hugs in succession before going to the bike her mom tells her is hers. It's a teal beach cruiser with a white wicker basket and white streamers hanging off the handles. Tess' smile doesn't leave her face as she explores every inch of the new bike.

"This is awesome!" Kate remarks, taking in her bike. She also has a cruiser bike like her twin, though hers is painted red, with all the same accessories. "Thank you."

"You girls a very welcome," Carol says, smiling.

"And what's a new bike without a new helmet?" Doug remarks, bringing out the boxes from the garage.

"You said those were kids at the hospital!" Kate says, remember the trip to the sporting goods store a few weekends prior when her dad had them pick out the helmets.

"I lied," Doug confesses, ripping open the cardboard. Once the army green skate style helmet comes off, he plops it on Kate's head and adjusts it to fit. She had looked through every bike helmet in the store, but latched onto the green one right away; so that was the one they took.

"Best lie ever!" Kate says, lifting the kickstand on her bike and starting down the driveway

"Don't ride it yet, Kate," Doug said, fitting Tess' pink helmet on her head. "I might have to adjust the seat a bit.

"Ugh!" Kate wines. "Hurry! I want to ride it!"

"Hold your horses, kid. I can only go so fast," Doug says, going into the garage and returns with a screwdriver. He fixes the bike seat, testing it out a few times before it is right. "Feel good?" He asks again.

"Yup,"Kate nods, scraping her tow on the ground.

"Alright. Go have fun."

Still not confident riding an actual bike without training wheels, Kate walks it to the end of the driveway before getting on and riding off down their street.

"Stay where we can see you!" Carol calls.

"Okay, Bear, try that," Doug says, holding the bike as his daughter sits. "Too short, let's raise it a bit, okay?"

"Okay, but not too much, I still wanna touch," Tess instructs.

"Okay," her dad smiles. The second try is perfect, and Tess kisses her dad's cheek, thanking him once more before zipping off down the driveway to join her sister.

The parents watch the girls ride around, playing with the other kids on their street,

"I get my bike, too," Addison announces, running into the garage.

Doug and Carol laugh loudly when the toddler rides past them as fast as she can on her little plastic tricycle, ready to join the big kids.


	8. Eighth

"Alright, Addy, ready? We're gonna make a run for it," Doug says, pulling his hood over his head before opening his door. He quickly opens the back door and scoops his daughter into his arms, tugging her own raincoat hood lower on her head. He runs through the parking lot, splashing through puddles left by the rain that had been falling almost constantly since the previous afternoon. Once inside, Doug flips off his hood, grabs a cart, sets Addison in the seat, and starts around the grocery store.

"Daddy? Can I get a hot chocolate?" Addison asks, pushing her own hood off, and staring at the Starbucks stand across from them.

"Yeah," Doug answers, adding an assortment of fruit to their cart. "After we're done, I'll get us all one." As they continue on through the deli and meat department, Addison entertains her dad with songs she had learned in preschool, watching as he adds to their cart.

"Hi, can I help you?" The woman at the bakery counter asks when they approach.

"Yeah, I'm here to pick up an order for 'Ross'," Doug says.

"Hold on one minute, I'll go grab it for you," the girl says, disappearing around a corner, returning a moment later with another staff member, each of them holding a large cake. The two round the counter and set the cakes on a table for Doug to inspect. "Everything look alright?" the first girl asks.

The cake closest to him was covered in red and white icing and emblazoned with the characters and logo from his daughter favorite movie; the smiling teenagers surrounded the words 'Happy Birthday, Wildcat!' written in neat red icing. The other was more colorful; browns, blues, greens, even a bright yellow sun, created a mountain range made of sugar across the cake. The border and part representing the ground were covered in chocolate candy rocks and up in the sky, written in white icing was simply 'Happy Eighth Birthday, Kate!'. It was exactly what the girls had wanted.

"Yeah, they look great," Doug says, gently setting the cakes into the remaining space of the cart, while Addison takes the free cookie the second clerk had offered her.

The two make quick work of the rest of the store, grabbing last minute things for the twins' parties and Thanksgiving dinner in a few days. While waiting in the long line to checkout, Doug hands his daughter a penny and sends her off the ride the mechanical horse, making sure she stays in the corner of his eye as the line moves. He makes small talk with the clerk as he scans their groceries, telling him about Tess and Kate parties and the icy environment he was heading home to.

"Get used to it, man. It's gonna be like that all the time soon," the clerk says, handing over the receipt.

"Thanks for that," Doug laughs, sarcastically, collecting his daughter and walking away. And as promised, they stop at Starbucks and get everyone a warm drink.

[] []

Back at home, Doug and Addy enter the kitchen to find only two of the three girls they had left behind sitting there. Carol was smearing icing over the pan of cinnamon rolls that had just come out of the oven, and Kate was sitting at the island, munching on a banana with a book open in front of her.

"Still fighting?" He asks his wife quietly.

"Yeah," Carol nods. "Not a single word between the two of them. Here, Kate," she says sliding a plate over to her daughter who starts eating happily. "Here, she's in our room. Take this to her. Ask again if she's sure," Carol says, handing him a similar looking plate.

"Will do," he says, turning out of the room. "Addy, go get some cinnamon rolls before your sisters eat them all," he tells his youngest as he passes her watching cartoons. He heads further down the hallway where the sounds from Addy's show meld with those of the one Tess was watching in their bedroom. She's lying on their bed, still in pajamas, arms crossed over her chest, an angry pout over her face.

"Hey, Bear," Doug starts. "Mom made your favorite, I figured you'd want some before Kate and Addy ate them all," he says holding up the plate.

"Thanks," she mumbles, sitting up and taking the plate from him.

"We're leaving in about forty minutes. You sure you don't want to come?" Doug tries; one last ditch effort to get his eight-year-old to go to her twin's birthday party.

Her solo birthday party.

The first year that Tess and Kate have ever had separate parties.

"I said I didn't want to go! Her party's gonna be dumb anyway," Tess growls, shoving her breakfast back into her dad's hands before quickly flipping away from him in an obvious attempt to not let him see her cry. To see how hurt she was.

"Okay, if you're sure. I'll just leave this here," he sets the plate on the nightstand and lays a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Love you, Tess." And a moment later he's heading back down the hall to the other three girls.

"So? Is she coming?" Carol asks the second he's in the kitchen.

"No. She's not coming. She's stubborn that one."

"Well, I didn't want her to come, anyway!" Kate, who had been listening in on their conversation, shouts, shoving away from the breakfast bar and rushing off to her room.

[] []

"Thanks, again, Tasha," Carol smiles, hand on the doorknob.

"Don't worry about it! Tess and I will have tons of fun, won't we?" their babysitter says over her shoulder to the girl, who had come out of her parent's room only to continue pouting in the corner of the couch.

Not totally convinced, Carol spares a 'good luck' look to the high school senior. "Bye, Tess! Be good okay?" With no response, she closes the door and joins her husband and daughters in the car.

[] []

"Alright! Alright! Is everyone ready to climb today?" The college student in charge of their group calls out to the eleven boys and girls before him. They had all been geared up and taught the basic commands of rock climbing, and were excitedly sitting on the wooden bench before the high wall, waiting to be told they could start.

"Yeah!" they all shout.

"Great! Okay, my name is Asher and that is Ross, Summer and Janae," he introduces the three others, a brunette boy with green eyes and a navy beanie on his head, a blonde girl with grey eyes and pink streaks in her hair, and a girl with french braided auburn hair, freckles and hazel eyes. "We are gonna help you guys climb. I'm gonna be doing the easier route, Summer is on the medium level, and Janae is doing the hardest. And while you're waiting to climb, you can go do some bouldering with Ross. The only rule with that is you need to stay below that yellow line," Asher says. "Okay? Alright, t of you can line up be one of us, the rest go with Ross to start bouldering.

The kids scatter to their desired spot, and Kate, being the birthday kid, gets first got on the easy level. Asher hooks up her harness and does a quick sit test to make sure it's secure.

"Ready?" He asks with a smile.

"Yup," Kate nods.

"Okay," the boy prompts.

"On belay?" Kate asks.

"Belay on."

"Climbing?"

"Climb on."

[] []

"Alright. You wanna tell me why you're so upset at your sister? Or are we just gonna mope around all day?" Tasha asks, plopping down on the couch next to her sitting charge.

"Kate doesn't want me around anymore. She has all her cool friends and her rock climbing party," Tess says. "And she doesn't want to come to my party." She falls into Tasha's side, sobbing. The teenager tugs the girl close, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words until her tears have stopped.

"You know, my brother and I fight all the time. And some days I don't even want to look him." As a twin herself, Tasha knew exactly what Tess and Kate were going through. "But even with all of that, we still loved each other. He makes me laugh like no one else. And I can trust him with anything and I know for sure he won't tell anyone unless I say he can." Tess is looking up at her now, tears drying on her face. "Is that how you feel about Kate?"

"Yeah," Tess nods. "Kate is my best friend. She knows me. She protects me when Liam and Isaac bully me at recess. And she shares her snack when I forget mine and We laugh a lot."

"See? Even though you're hurt and mad at her right now, you know it's not how you truly feel."

"Yeah. So you think I should go to her party?"

"Yeah, I think you should have," Tasha nods. Tess mulls over their conversation for a few moments before standing.

"I'm gonna go get dressed," she says, moving for her room.

[] []

"Come on, Kate! You can do it!" The bigger kids were crowded around the rock wall, watching as Kate took her turn climbing the hardest route, while Addison and some of the younger siblings played on the bouldering course.

"Whoo! Go, Katie!" Her best friend Hannah cheers.

Kate climbs, higher and higher, getting a few tips from Janae.

"Okay, now there's a hold by your right ankle. See it? Push up hard! Yes!" Janae coaches, pulling more slack in the rope. "One more step and you're there!"

Kate grabs the next rock and pushes up.

"Come on, Kate! Just one more step!" A very familiar voice calls out, causing Kate to pause suddenly. She keeps going after a few seconds, knowing the voice would want her to finish when she's so close. Another hold, and finally the metal pole at the top. She's elated! She didn't think she could do it; none of the other kids could. She hits the bell at the top and cheers, looking down at how high up she is, and how small her friends look down below. "Loading the rope!" Kate calls.

"Load on!" Janae replies, and Kate sits in her harness, kicking off the wall as Janae lets her down. As her feet hit the mat on the ground, she is almost knocked off them as the blur of brown hair crashes into her.

"You did it, Katie! You did it!" Tess shouts, pulling back to look at her twin.

"You came!" Kate says, hugging Tess again. "I wanted you to be here the whole time with me. I missed you. But when you said you didn't want to com-"

"I know, me too," Tess finishes, knowing what her sister was going to say.

"I'm sorry," they say at the same time. The sisters hug as Kate is released from the rope, quickly leading her sister to get her own harness and start climbing with their remaining time.

"How did you-?" Carol starts, aghast, turning to Tasha.

"I can't explain it," Tasha starts. "It's a Twin Thing."

[] []

Later that night, back at home, Tess and Kate curl up under the same blanket in the nest made out of pillows and couch cushions in their basement. They are surrounded by nine of their best friends, bowls of candy and popcorn among them, with cups of soda set on the coffee table pushed off to the side.

The eleven girls sing along to their favorite movie, squealing at how cute the lead actor is.

"Oh, you are the music in me!"

It was more morning than night, but it had been a fun one. Full of treats and presents and giggling and playing with makeup and making up dances, and performing those dances and learning the dances from the movie, and talking and more giggling.

The twins had resolved their earlier issues and were back to being the crazy, wonderful pair they were known for.

"Oh! Oh, this is my favorite song!" Kate yells, sitting up, as the swing music with a hip-hop beat starts playing. "I'll show you that it's one and the same: baseball, dancing, same game. It's easy. Step up to the plate, start swingin'!" For someone who claimed she hated the movie, Kate really got into the song, and when it finished, collapsed into her pillow out of breath and smiling.

They made it about ten more minutes before everyone fell asleep and the movie's dialogue was the only thing that could be heard in the room.


	9. Ninth

"Dad! Dad, look! We can see the roller coaster out our window!" Tess shouts as she pushes back the curtains and looks excitedly out the window of their hotel room.

"Look! It's the bear mountain!" Kate says, looking to the right, where the peak is just visible through the trees. "Oh, this is so cool!"

"Mommy! Mommy, Look! It's Mickey Mouse!" Addison shouts from the bathroom. Everyone comes running and laughs out loud at the towel on the counter that had been rolled to look like the famous mouse.

"This place is awesome! Tess remarks, going back into the main room again and flopping down on the bed.

The girls' reactions were the ultimate payoff to this surprise trip over their Thanksgiving break. They had picked all three girls up from school early, bags already packed, and whisked off to the airport, the whole time the girl asking where they were going. It wasn't until they had checked their bags in, and made it past security did Doug and Carol reveal where they were headed. And from the shrieks that attracted the looks of passers-by, it was clear the girls' were excited.

It would be all three girls first plane ride, and through the democratic process of Rock, Paper Scissors, it was decided Kate and Carol would get the two window seats (though Carol did trade at the last minute to Tess) while the others would get it on the way home. They sat across one row, split at the aisle, with Kate at one window, Addy in the middle, and their dad on the end, a businessman named Michael on the aisle next to them, Carol in the middle and Tess at the other window. And for three hours, the girls watched out the window and read books and watched movies. They didn't fight (for a change), and Michael told Doug and Carol that their girls were the best-behaved kids on any flight he had been on, and he had been on a lot of them.

LAX was a bustle of activity, especially for a Friday night, but somehow the family found their bags and the rental car counter and forty minutes later they were shuffling through the last of rush hour traffic to their hotel. They spent Saturday exploring Los Angeles, visiting all the usual tourist attractions- Chinese Theater, Walk of Fame, Hollywood sign- and eating their weight in In-N-Out burgers and shakes. They managed to get into a studio tour, and Tess got to see where her favorite TV show was filmed.

On Sunday, while Doug packed a cooler with drinks and snacks, Carol helped the kids up on their swimsuits.

"The beach? In November?" Kate asked, skeptical.

But they weren't the only family there. The sand was crowded with people enjoying the low-ninety degree heat. Tess and Kate squealed as they raced over the dune and down into the waves. The water was frigid, but that didn't stop the girls from jumping the waves that came in and getting soaking wet. The rest of the day was spent playing in the water, building sand castles, collecting shells and lounging in the sun. As sunset fell, the family, having changed into warmer clothes, ate fresh seafood at a tiny restaurant just off the boardwalk, and licked off ice cream cones as they people watched. They all went to bed that night tired, sun-kissed, and happy.

They spend Monday at their hotel, playing in the pool and having a relaxing day. They eat more In-N-Out, which they haven't grown tired of yet, and spend the evening playing games at Dave and Busters, where Kate hits the jackpot on a spinning wheel game and ends up with enough tickets to buy herself her own Nintendo DS. The girl gleefully spends the rest of the night playing on her new video game system, even sharing it with her sister for a while.

Tuesday morning dawned bright and sunny again. After sleeping in and one last breakfast at the buffet, the Ross family packed up their things, loaded the car, with a mad dash back into the room to collect Addy's forgotten prized kitty stuffed animal, and got onto the freeway for their next destination. The signs heralded their arrival, the girls cheered and called out every time they passed one, and by the time they turned into the parking lot of their hotel, everyone was buzzing with excitement. The hotel was indeed 'Grand', starting at the front door with the bell-hop that collected their bags.

"Hello, princess," the man said to Addison as she climbed down from her booster seat and grabbed her mom's hand.

"Hi," Addy replies, suddenly shy.

As the rest of the family appeared, the man commented on their "family full of princesses," which made them all giggle. He instructed them to where to find the check-in counter and wished them all a wonderful visit. Again, the woman who helped Carol check-in was very kind and get them all squared away very quickly. She handed her their park tickets and a folder full of information on the parks, with maps and show times, as well as a stack of buttons declaring not only their first visit but also birthday ones for Tess and Kate. Carol thanked her and headed off to a corner where the girls were watching cartoons, and Doug was 'keeping an eye on them' from the nearby bar. After a few minutes, the family found the elevators and rode up to their room.

"So, you girls ready to go play in the park?" Doug asks, grabbing his cell phone, room key, and his wallet, sliding both into the pocket of his jeans.

"Yes!" all three girls shout. And after grabbing sweatshirts, the family head down to start their adventure.

[] []

Disney's California Adventure Park sits adjacent to Disneyland Park and treats guests staying in the Grand Californian Hotel a private entrance directly into the park. And that is exactly where the Ross family head, the girls racing ahead of their parents.

"Hey, guys!" the girl manning the gate calls to them when they get close enough. "Are you having a good day?"

"Yes!" they reply, smiling.

"Great! And it's your first time? Wow! Well, then I hope you have a great time today. If you see me when you get back, you'll have to tell me all about it." She scans their tickets one by one, the high pitched squeaking ensuring they are indeed, in. "And happy birthday!"

"Thank you!" Tess and Kate call in unison.

When their parents catch up, Tess, Kate, and Addison are standing at a fence watching the river ride below. Riders whizz by screaming and laughing as the rapids splash them. The twins turn to their parents, smiles wide.

"I want to go on that!" they say.

"I don't know, girls," Carol starts. "You're gonna get wet, you know that, right?"

"Yes, we know," Kate nods. "Please?"

"Alright," Carol agrees, nodding towards the line.

"Mommy, I don't wanna get wet," Addison says, lower lip puffed out.

"Come on, Addy! It's will be fun!" Tess encourages, not wanting her sister to ruin their fun.

"No! I don't wanna!" Addison shouts, stomping her foot, on the verge of a meltdown.

"Okay, okay, you don't have to go," Doug says, scooping up the girl. He hugs her close, smoothing out the skirt of her pink dress.

"But Dad! We wanted you to go with us!" Kate whines.

"We're here all week, Bean. I think I'm going to be able to go with you again."

"Okay," Kate mopes, following her twin and mom into line.

Given the time of year, the line for the ride was relatively short, and soon the girls are boarding their raft and headed off on their adventure.

Doug and Addy are watching at the fence again, and see their girls come by, screaming and waving at them.

The girls came back, laughing and smiling, not as wet as Doug thought they would be, but still not dry as he had left them.

"Dad! There was this girl who rode with us and she got soaked!" Kate cheers.

"There's this huge drop at the end and she went down backwards and then this huge wave came over us and soaked her!" Tess finishes. "We got some of it too, but not as bad as her." They had started walking as she talked and came to the Redwoods area of the park.

"I wanna go on that!" Addy shouts, pointing to the large climbing structure before her. Doug sets her down, and the girl races off, her sisters not far behind.

"Watch your sister!" Doug calls to them.

They let the girls play, finding a bench to sit on, for a while, watching them climb and run and slide and explore the tunnels and race each other on the zip lines. Eventually, Doug and Carol find their kids and continue through the park, ending up on the boardwalk area. They ride the Jellyfish Jumper and the swings and the giant Ferris wheel, though they pick the car that doesn't move, as it freaks everyone out when they see it up close, even Tess who loves thrill rides.

Their last ride of the day is 'Toy Story Mania'; it's a fairly new ride, so the line is long, but thanks to the FastPass Doug had run and got, their wait is shorter than the regular line. Kate and Tess are paired up, with Carol and Addy on the other side of their car. Doug, being the odd man out, gets placed with another single rider in another car. The twins unleash their competitive nature on each other, battling it out during the games. In the end, Tess wins with two thousand more points than her sister, and Addison beats her mom, scoring a thousand more points than the adult.

"Mine was broken!" Doug claims as they head back to the hotel. It was barely after nightfall, but already the park was starting to close for the night, sending everyone over to Disneyland proper for their nighttime activities.

"Sure, sure," Carol says, shaking her head, holding hands with her husband.

"It was," he pouts.

"Well? How was it?" the girl manning the gate to their hotel asks when she sees them again.

"It was awesome!" the twins say.

"Glad to hear it," she smiles. "Have a nice night."

[] []

Wednesday is spent making use of their 'Extra Magic Hour' that day and finishing what they missed in California Adventure. Instead of going right when they first enter from their hotel, they turn left and end up in the aviation area. They all head into the makeshift plane hangar, one of the first people in line that day, and end up getting into the second row. After clipping into the seat belt, the lights are turned off and they are sent on a simulated hang-gliding adventure through the landmarks of the Golden State that ends with an aerial view of the fireworks over Disneyland.

"I wanna do that again!" Addison cheers as they come off the ride. A smile hadn't left her face the entire time; it was her first official 'Big Kid' ride, and her parents were glad she loved it.

And so, because they could, they got back in line and did it again.

[] []

The family munches on popcorn and sips from slushies that turn tongues blue as they explore the front area of the park; looking through shop windows and the scenery of the main street.

"Look! Minnie is here!" Tess shouts, pointing to the character. She runs into line, knowing her family will follow, and soon enough, the Cast Member is waving her forward. "Hi, Minnie! I love your dress," Tess says, making the character 'blush'. Minnie says she likes Tess' outfit (a flowy grey tank top, (Capri jeans and flip-flops) too, and that makes the girl smile. They talk for a few more moments, before posing for a picture. The other two Ross girls follow, Addison gives Minnie a huge hug, and Kate tells Minnie about the club volleyball team she was going to try out for.

After getting their picture card from the photographer, they continue on into the Hollywood area.

Doug takes the big girl on Tower of Terror (Addison was both too small and too scared), and come off twenty minutes later with one twin smiling happily, and another wiping away tears and gripping her dad's hand.

"Hey, Bean," Carol sighs upon seeing her daughter. "Didn't like it?"

"I don't want to do it again," Kate declares, hugging her mom.

"Okay, you don't have too," Carol agrees.

"It was kind of scary," Tess says, trying to make her twin feel better.

"It was," Doug agrees.

"Come on, let's go do something we all can do," Carol says, standing from the bench she had occupied, and grabbing Addy's hand.

The Animation Building is where they find the more family-friendly activities. They learn to draw Chip in the Animator's Academy; "his nose looks like a chocolate chip; that's how you can tell the difference," their teacher explains how to tell him and his brother apart; and meet the famous sea turtle, Crush, from the movie Finding Nemo.

Finally, Addison gets her turn to go on rides. The Bug's Life area is just her size and she drags her whole family on them, giggling and smiling the whole time. They spin in ladybug's (which makes them all laugh as it's Addison's nickname), crash and bump in the Roly Poly cars, and fly through the air in Flik's spinner ride. Addy plays a bit on the splash pad, but at the mention of the Aladdin show starting soon, is quick to put her shoes back on and head off to the theater.

The Broadway-style show marvel's every member of the family. They sing along to all the songs, and absolutely freak out when they see Aladdin and Jasmine fly over their heads as they discover 'A Whole New World'. In the end, the show gets a standing ovation and every audience member leaves happy.

Wednesday afternoon is spent getting in some retail therapy in Downtown Disney. Doug makes camp in the ESPN store with a beer and a view of the wall of TV's and watches the many bags his girls bring back to him. The girls come back hours later with new stuffed animals they had made, dressed as beloved Disney characters, and with their hair and makeup done; Tess and Kate's hair was braided with colorful streaks woven in and thick stage makeup, both twins loving their 'Rockstar' looks, and Princess Addy comes to him covered in glitter with a shiny gold tiara stuck into her tight bun.

They spend the rest of the night eating dinner and ice cream and watching the liver performers around the shopping district, even managing to catch the end of the fireworks over the trees.

[] []

Of their entire Disney trip, Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, is the least crowded they had seen the park. This day they spent in Disneyland proper and were surprised at how low the wait time for rides were. The longest they waited, for the Indiana Jones ride, was fifteen minutes; when, on a normal day, it would have taken them an hour or more to get onto the popular ride.

The Ross family tear through the park, going on all the rides they want.

They laugh at the bad jokes on the jungle cruise and laugh at Jack Skellington's adventures on the Nightmare Before Christmas theme of the Haunted Mansion. They zoom down Splash Mountain and go on a quest for gold with the Pirates of the Caribbean. Addison faces her fears and sits tucked firmly into her dad's side on Thunder Mountain Railroad, declaring at the end that she liked it, but didn't want to do it again.

Toontown is where they spin with Roger Rabbit and meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald.

In Fantasyland, they fly over London with Peter Pan, fall down a rabbit hole with Alice and the White Rabbit and spin so fast in teacups at the Mad Hatter's tea party; the girls love it, the ride makes Doug and Carol sick. They're in line for It's a Small World with Carol calls her mom to wish her a happy Thanksgiving; all three girls take turns talking to their grandmother, telling her all about what they did and wishing she was there with them. Helen promises she will see her granddaughter's soon and ends the call wishing the twins a happy birthday and telling them their presents are in the mail and should be there by the time they get home. The calming boat ride puts Addison to sleep and Doug carries her out and lays her in the stroller they had rented. Taking that a cue for a break, the family finds a spot on the curb and enjoys a snack; Kate even sneaks in some time to play with her new video game system.

When the announcement for the afternoon parade echoes through the park, Carol realizes they spot they had claimed was perfect and keeps them there, with a quick rush to the bathroom, until the parade starts. Addy wakes up right as it starts, and jumps up to sing and dance along to the music and wave excitedly to her favorite characters, cheering when they wave back. The twins love all the happy birthday wishes they get from the parade performers because of the buttons they wear and are just as excited as their little sister to see the floats go by.

After the parade, they finish the dark rides in Fantasyland and go on the famous carousel. They meet the princesses, which Addison, still covered in glitter with her bun and tiara, absolutely loves.

In Tomorrowland, Tess and Kate face off once again on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. They are neck and neck almost the entire time, but Kate manages to hit a target with a high point value and beats her sister by three thousand points. They tear through the galaxy on a rogue transport ship on Star Tours and pilot their own rocket ship on the Astro Orbitor. Tess, Kate and Addy get their 'driver's license on Autopia and have a chance encounter with Buzz Lightyear himself.

They are headed to get in line for the Matterhorn, when a show attracts their attention. A man and woman, holding lightsabers and dressed in tan robes, are up on stage looking for young Padawans to enroll in the Jedi Training Academy. Kate, eager to get picked, starts jumping up and down and yelling and waving her hands, trying to attract the attention of the leaders.

"Ah! Three sisters; the Force is strong in your family, all of you: come up, come up," the man says, noticing Kate and her sisters. Kate grabs her sister's hands and drags them to the stage where they are presented with their own robe and 'training' lightsaber. Doug and Carol excitedly watch as their daughters learn the combination and battle against the Sith lords. The girls come back waving their diplomas of completion of the academy, begging to go back to the Star Wars store so they can get their own robes and lightsabers to keep. Of course, their dad obliges and comes out of the store two hundred dollars cheaper, but with three happy daughters wearing robes and waving green, purple and blue lightsabers, reenacting what they had just learned.

One of the landmarks of the park is the Matterhorn Mountain, modeled after the real mountain in Europe, with a high-speed roller coaster hidden inside. The popular attraction usually had a line three miles long, but on Thanksgiving, the line is much shorter and soon, the family is loaded into bobsleds, climbing the mountain to hunt for the Yeti, only to go zooming down the mountain in a twisting, turning path. They splash down at the bottom, full of smiles and adrenaline.

As night falls over the park, the family enjoys dinner-turkey and all the fixings-at a restaurant on Main Street. Doug sits back and marvels at his family; how amazing they were. Carol, who left her job as a nurse to become a Transplant coordinator, took on the challenge and showed true passion and aptitude for it. She was always good with people, after all. Tess, their oldest, with her light and fire, led her youth theater program's production of Seussical the Musical as Amazing Mazie. Kate, laid-back and driven, was about to start her first season of club volleyball, a sport she had fallen in love with. And Addison, their baby Buggy, started kindergarten that year and was already in the highest reading and math group. She was small, smart and girly; already loving Ballet. He couldn't believe how lucky he was for the life he had.

Fireworks light up the sky, accompanied by the soothing voice of Julie Andrews as she narrates the story of Disneyland and its magic. The music of full of well-known music and everyone around them, including their family, sing along. He hugs his daughter's close as Tinker Bell flies across the sky and the show reaches its crescendo.

The family ends the night the same as they had every night of their trip: brushing teeth and getting tucked into bed, happy and tired. It's their last night and everyone is sad about that but glad for the trip they had and all of the memories they made.

They fly home Friday afternoon, after one last In-N-Out burger trip, Arriving home late. They eat a quick, simple dinner and fall into their own beds and sleep until almost noon the next day. Unfortunately, Addison winds up with strep throat and an ear infection and spends the weekend miserably cuddling her prized kitty and new pink bear stuffed animals with her tiara close by.

Tess and Kate return to school the following Monday full of stories to tell and pictures to show off, declaring it the best birthday ever.


	10. Tenth

**A/N: After an epic one for year nine, I figured something small and sweet between the sister would be good for ten. Enjoy!**

* * *

The night is cold, the sky is just visible through a layer of clouds, and a dog barking breaks the silence of the neighborhood.

Inside, the Ross house is silent. The master bedroom is dark and quiet. For the first time in a long time, Doug and Carol sleep without cell phones ringing and work calling them in. In the kitchen, water drips from the tap hitting dishes left in the sink from a nighttime cupcake making session. A handprint turkey hangs on the fridge next to a shopping list and schedules for dance, sports, and choir and theater rehearsals. A purple raincoat hangs off one of the chairs at the breakfast bar, and underneath the counter, a pair of black ballet flats lay forgotten.

The clock on the stove changes.

11:57

On the wall up the stairs hang photos of the family taken over the summer. They are all standing barefoot in a meadow full of flowers, the blue sky bright with sunshine. Doug is in a grey t-shirt and jeans, Carol is wearing a white and yellow flowy sundress, her hair braided back to match her daughter's style. The girls are all in sunny yellow dresses, hair braided under white flower crowns. It's clear, even in the photos, that Kate is still the taller of the twins.

11:58

The first pink-walled bedroom on the right, a little girl, just turned six-years-old, sleeps in the twin sized bed. Snuggled deep under the covers, arm curled around her prized kitty stuffed animal. A princess night light brightens the room just enough to keep the monsters away.

Down the hall, the guest bedroom sits full of junk and old toys forgotten with time. The bathroom in-between is dark, save for a small night light plugged into the wall. A Disney Princess towel hangs off a hook; bath toys sit in a basket next to the tub.

11:59

Across the hall in the purple-walled bedroom, a young girl is sitting up in bed. Only a small light clipped to the headboard behind her illuminates the book in her hands. Harry Potter in the graveyard with Voldemort. She's almost done. She has to finish. She flips another page when the blue glow from her watch shines and the beeping alarm has her stopping mid-sentence.

Tess looks at her wrist, and her eyes widen.

12:00

Midnight.

It was November 25th. Their birthday.

They were ten-years-old. Their days as little kids were almost behind them; toys were replaced with electronics and friends (except for a select few that were hidden away in dark closet corners).

Kate is sassy and sarcastic; friendly, and kind. She was the more sensitive of the twins and takes everything to heart. She was quick to cry, but also quick to snap if someone hurt someone she loved. She loves history, and is currently really into the 1970's. She loves playing volleyball and was just starting her second year on a club team. She has lots of friends, some of which she shared with her twin, that came over to the house a lot

Tess was as loud and fiery and dramatic as ever. Everything was a big deal, and if it wasn't she would make it one. She's silly and goofy, with a great sense of humor. She is quite popular and student council representative of her fifth-grade class. Tess loves to dance- tap, jazz, and musical theater best-and takes every opportunity to be on stage. She is in her school choir as well as a youth theater troupe and auditions for community theater production whenever she could. Tess is a total bookworm, and loves English class.

Tess places a bookmark in her page, kicks back her blankets and gets out of bed. She crosses her room, through their shared bathroom and into her sister's bedroom. The only light in the room is the moonlight coming from behind the closed blinds. Kate is laying on her back, mouth open as she breathes loudly, one arm over her head and the other lies across her stomach.

Tess tiptoes closer and pokes her twin's arm.

"Kate?" she whispers. Nothing. She tries again, speaking louder this time. "Kate?"

Kate stirs in her sleep, shifting under the covers.

"Kate. Wake up."

At her sister's voice, Kate sighs, letting out a whine.

"Katie."

"What," she groans, opening her eyes to look at her twin.

"It's after midnight. It's our birthday. We're ten!"

"Good for us," Kate murmurs, still not awake.

"Happy birthday, sissy,"

"Happy birthday, Bear," Kate says before rolling over and falling back to sleep.

Tess leaves her sister's room, smiling. It was their birthday. She climbs back into bed, putting the covers back on and dives right back into her book, not sleepy at all. Completely ready to find out what happens to The Boy Who Lived and the Dark Lord.


	11. Eleventh

**A/N: Here is another chapter for you nerds. Sixth Grade Camp was such a memorable experience for me, I figured I'd show the Ross girls at theirs. And the birthday song heard here is the exact one I used to sing every summer at camp whenever someone had a birthday, and it was just as crazy and silly as I tried to make it here.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The large dining hall was full of noise; voices overlapping, utensils on plates, cups being smacked on tables as kids played games. It was the last night of High Trails for this group of sixth graders, and despite the tiring week of activities, they still had energy and enthusiasm. The camp was focussed on science and nature studies and allowed students a hands-on, outdoors, science class for a week.

Kate Ross' group, for example, had only forty minutes before returned from a long hike up to the bat caves; a beloved and popular activity for campers. She gossiped with her friends about their different activities for the day, and even went over to catch up with her twin sister. The two hadn't seen each other since the campfire the previous night and the need for them to see each other was very large. She was halfway through her second helping of lasagna when the room went suddenly very quiet.

None of the kids had noticed that their counselors or teachers had disappeared, so when they appear at the double doors leading to the kitchen holding trays of ice cream sundaes, some of which with burning candles stuck in them, everyone is curious.

But not as curious as when they all starting singing.

"There's a birthday for someone, we wonder for who. We know it's for someone right here in this room. So look all around for someone who is laughing and smiling. My goodness, it's Kate!"

By then, all the counselors had returned to their tables and had placed the sundaes with candles in front of the kids who had birthdays on or around their week of camp. And when one gets placed in front of her, Kate smiles and blushes. She hates being the center of attention; even if it was with twenty of her classmates.

Her counselor, OmNom, pulls her up and continues singing with the others.

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear, Kate. Happy birthday to you!"

Thinking that it's over, Kate starts to sit down but is suddenly grabbed by the hand and is pulled into the aisle and is lead, running, around the room. She spies her sister, who is just as confused as she is, but manages to smile and have fun. So Kate follows her lead and lets herself get into it as the counselors sing again.

"Round the tables, you must go, you must go, you must go! Round the tables you must go, it's your birthday! Back around the other way, other way, other way! Back around the other way, it's your birthday!"

By the time she sits back down at her table, Kate is out of breath, completely red-faced and really happy. She doesn't do anything crazy like that (that's more her twin's department), and it was such fun!

"Oh my god! Kate, that was so funny!" her cabin mate, Jenna, says as they dig into their desserts.

Kate makes a wish and blows out her candle before she replies. "Yeah, it kind of was. But Wes seemed to enjoy it," she comments pointing out the boy in her class nearly all the girl had crushes on.

"Yeah, I guess so," Jenna says, knowing that if Wes liked it, it must not be so bad.

Kate and Tess lock eyes from across the room and smile at each other, touching the corner of their eye then their chests and finally pointing at each other. I love you. Their way of saying it without saying it.

If the noise in the room was loud before, it's almost deafening now. Everyone was talking about what they had just seen and how crazy it was and how funny it was. Kate was still embarrassed about it but found herself laughing with her friends about it on their way back to their cabin to get ready for the dance that was to happen that night.

Sitting on her bed when Kate got back to it was a yellow envelope. The front had her name written in her mom's slanted handwriting. Kate rips it open and pulls out the card inside. On the front is a pug with giant googly eyes that moved when Kate shook it around. She opens it and inside is simply typed: 'Hope your birthday is Crazy!" and underneath, again her her mom's writing is a short message.

 _Happy (early) birthday, Katie Bean! We hope you're having an amazing time at camp. We can't wait to hear all the stories when you get back! Have fun!_

 _Love,_

 _Mom, Dad, and Addy._

Kate smiles and stuffs the card back into the envelope and into the outside pocket of her suitcase. She grabs her hairbrush and an extra elastic and heads over to the bathroom to fight for a spot at the sink.


	12. Twelfth

**A/N: Hey, guys! Remember me? Long time no update, I know. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.**

* * *

"Oh my god!" Kate shouts when she sees her locker door. It's covered with black and gold wrapping paper, her favorite colors, with her favorite candies and notes from her friends sharing birthday wishes taped all over it.

"Don't you just love it!?" Her friend Gregory asks coming towards her.

"It's amazing! I love it! Thank you!" Kate shouts diving into his arms for a hug.

"Well, Ana helped, but I mostly did it," Gregory brags.

"Yeah, sure she helped," Kate replied dryly, knowing her friend's knack for somehow getting out of doing any work on group projects, but taking all the credit for it. She opens her locker and puts her books away, grabbing others for first period. Kate stuffs her backpack inside last, and slams the door shut, praying it doesn't get jammed again.

The hallways are full of student's now, talking and laughing and as Kate and Gregory walk down the hall, they have to dodge kids walking too close in the opposite direction and shove through groups stopped right in the middle.

"Ugh! Sixth Graders!" Gregory scoffs, even though they had been those same sixth graders only a few months prior.

"I know," Kate agrees, following her best friend up the stairs. Gregory gets dropped off first at his first-period science class and Kate continues on, across the school, to her first period alone.

The Language Arts classroom is quiet; only a few kids in the room sit at their desks reading or rushing to finish homework. Kate makes her way to her desk and sets out her binder and pencil case, leaving the rest of her books in the basket beneath her seat.

"Kate, come here for a second," her teacher, Mr. Holt, calls.

She walks over and smiles at the new pictures of his twin sons her teacher had hung on the filing cabinet behind his desk. "What's up?"

"Happy birthday," Mr. Holt smiles, handing her a card and a Twix bar, her favorite.

"Thank you," Kate smiles, turning back to her seat. She opens the envelope and pulls out the card. It's the simple, generic one given to all the kids in her class: blue background with multicolored balloons on it with a simple, typed message that reads 'Have a happy birthday! From, Mr. Holt.' stapled to the card is a 'Homework Pass' that gets Kate out of doing an assignment without losing credit for it. She smiles and slips the card into her binder and the candy bar into the pocket of her sweatshirt.

A minute later the warning bell rings and the rest of the class rushes into the room as to not be marked tardy. The official bell rings, signaling the start of the day, and a moment later the morning announcements start over the TV hung in the corner. They stand for the Pledge and then listen to the eighth graders presenting on TV.

"Reminder: the eighth-grade boys' basketball team will have their first practice next Monday in the large gym. Make sure to bring all signed forms and proper clothes. We will be playing," The girl presenter says.

"And finally: we'd like to wish these Lynx a very happy birthday," the other presenter says, listing off names as more scroll through at the bottom of the screen. "...Lexi Anderson, Dashiell Castle, Mason Greer, Kate Ross, and Erin Shields."

Kate smiles, embarrassed when her name is called and she hides in her textbook to avoid her classmates looks.

When the announcements end, Mr. Holt flips off the TV, stands from his desk, claps his hands and starts the day.

The rest of the day goes pretty normally; they took a quiz and then started a new unit in Science. And in Pre-Algebra, Kate discovered she had gotten a 98% on her most recent test (which she thought for sure she had failed). Kate went into lunch very happy and enjoying her pre-birthday birthday. When she sits down at their regular table, a tray of pizza and salad in front of her, Kate's best friend Ana slides over a container full of her mom's famous Dulce De Leche cake that Kate absolutely adores.

"Oh! Yay!" Kate cheers, ignoring her food and diving into the treat. "Thank you, Tita," Kate says, knowing her friend will pass along the message. The table of friends spend the remaining time gossiping, and Kate does eventually eat her actual lunch.

Art is Kate's last class of the day, and as she sits at the table, her sketchbook propped up in front of her, she lets out a growl and madly erases her lines.

"Need some help?" Her teacher, Ms. Upton, asks, coming to stand beside the seventh grader

"It just doesn't look right," Kate says, frustrated.

"How about if you do this-" and the veteran artist gently coaches her student on how to make the eyes on her sketch look exactly right; showing her exactly where to put her pencil and how heavy to press down. After a little while, Ms. Upton pats Kate on the shoulder, causing the tween to look up at her. "You're doing great, Kate. You have talent."

When she walks away, Kate takes in the compliment; the individualized attention her teacher had given her. There weren't twenty-three other kids in her class, just her. Just Kate.

[] []

The best thing about going to different schools than your twin sister is that, after seven years together, you can finally be seen as an individual. You're no longer identified as 'The Ross Twins' or 'Tess and Kate'. There is no 'we'. Just Tess.

At least that's what the seventh-grader thought as she walked down the hall of her middle school the morning of the last day before Thanksgiving Break. They had found out about the private arts and sciences school from a booth at a street fair when the twins were in fourth grade. As the youngest year a student can attend is sixth grade, Tess had to anxiously wait an entire year to officially apply, and even then it took an additional school year on a waiting list to get the official acceptance. But once she was in, Tess Ross was instantly at home and comfortable; she had found her place.

She turns into a pod of Lockers and discovers her's is covered in wrapping paper and notes and there are balloons tied to her padlock. As she gets closer, Tess discovers there is glitter everywhere, and the second she gets close enough to touch, it transfers to her hands. Tess quickly opens her locker and grabs supplies for her first few classes. Slamming it shut, and clicking the lock in place, she heads off to the choir room.

Desi and Braden are behind the piano when she walks in, and as soon as her peer see her, they begin to play the 'Happy Birthday' song and start to sing to her. Most of the other kids in the class sing too, and Tess blushes.

"Come on, you love it," Braden cheers, coming to her and wrapping her in a tight hug.

"I do," Tess agrees, with a smile and an eye roll. She goes to her spot on the risers with the other Soprano 2's, dropping her folder and water bottle before joining her friends at the piano. Desi starts to play a jazzy beat and looks over at Tess with a wide smile. You know this one. Tess returns the smile, takes a breath and jumps in with the well-known lyrics. "Bless my soul! Herc was on a roll. Person on the week in every Greek opinion poll." The song continues, the upbeat Disney tune filling the room; Tess' ideal way to spend her birthday: music and friends.

Before long, the trio at the piano has been replaced with their beloved Choir director who starts warming up her group of rowdy kids. Though Tess and her friends do stay standing around the piano, and by the end of warm-ups, nearly the entire class is around the piano, having so much fun with songs they have memorized.

After Choir, comes Band where Tess wins a challenge and moves from fifth to fourth chair of the clarinet section. They are presented with their selections for their upcoming Christmas concert, and after warming up, sight read one of them.

Tess slogs through science, doodling in her notebook, and half-listening to her ancient teacher drone on as he goes through the power point.

During passing period, Tess' friend Jasmine hands her a purple gift bag. "Happy birthday!" she cheers, pausing in the hallway to watch her friend open the gift.

"Thank you!" Take says, pulling out the white tissue paper and reaching inside. "Oh my god!" Tess gasps, looking at the crisp Playbill. The iconic poster of the two witches sharing a secret with the title written in green script. Wicked "Thank you! This is amazing!"

"There's more," Jasmine encourages.

"Oh wow!" Tess says, revealing a t-shirt from the show. "You're the best!" Tess says, hugging her friend.

"Eh, it was nothing," Jasmine shrugs. "But you better bring me something when you go see Newsies." excited for her friend's upcoming trip to New York City, and plans to see the newest hit musical all their friends were talking about.

"You know I will," Tess nods, putting everything back into the bag.

"Come on, Ladies," Their Social Studies teacher, who was manning the hallways, warns the girls to not be late for class.

"Sorry, Ms. Scott," Tess smiles. And into class they go.


	13. Thirteenth

Kate Ross watches her twin dance around their bathroom, whipping her hair and singing into a hairbrush. She rolls her eyes and shoves past her for a spot at the sink. "Aren't you tired of playing that song yet?" Tess had been playing the rock-pop Broadway song for nearly a month, with no obvious end in sight.

"Come on, Kate! We only have a limited time where this song will apply to us! Of course, I'm going to listen to it as much as I can!" Tess argues. "It's like listening to 'Dancing Queen' when you turn seventeen; it's a requirement."

"Never heard of that rule before," Kate remarks, putting toothpaste on her toothbrush.

"It's an unspoken rule," Tess says.

"Whatever," Kate rolls her eyes, mouth full of foam.

" _The best, and the worst, and the most, and the least. And the crazy, and the scary and we're standin' on the edge!"_ Tess sings, her voice echoing in the bathroom. She continues the song as Kate brushes her teeth and spits.

Kate hums along to the lyrics she, sadly, knows too well. _"No, you're not ready. No, it's not time yet. No, it's not right now. Wait until you're older."_ Kate sings under her breath, hoping her twin hadn't heard her.

 _"No, you're not ready! No, It's not time yet! No, it's not right now! Wait until you're older!"_ Tess continues, louder

 _"No, you're not ready! No, it's not time yet! No, it's not right now! Wait until you're older!"_ Kate finishes, bobbing her head, fully into the song.

 _"Homework!"_

 _"Laundry!"_

 _"Dishes!"_

 _"Courses!"_ The twins shout, bouncing the lyrics between them.

 _"Just settle down and hold your horses!"_ They yell together, their voices echoing around the bathroom. And as the guitar riff- dance break starts, the sisters jump and dance around, their hair flying all over; giant smiles covering their faces. But the party is broken by the distinct chime of a message being sent on Facebook.

Kate and Tess had only recently, after months of constant begging, been allowed to open accounts on the social media platform. And both were using it in very different ways. Kate had loaded her feed with results from silly quizzes she had taken, and videos she thought were funny. Tess, on the other hand, was now able to keep up with all of her friends and talk to her multitude of crushes, including the one that had so rudely interrupted the sister's dance party.

Wes Mackenzie was the star of the Eighth Grade football team at Tess' school, all around popular guy, friendly to everyone, good student, and Tess Ross' number one crush since the two were in a theater class together the previous school year. They've been in the same circle of friends ever since.

"Oh!" Tess shouts, dashing back into her room and diving onto her desk chair. She squeals as it rolls a few to the right and spins around with the residual momentum. Righting herself, Tess pulls up to her computer monitor and reads the message. Kate had followed her twin and stood behind Tess, listening in on their conversation.

 _'Happy birthday, Hippo! Wanna meet up later so I can give you your present in person? ;)'_

The teen squeals, hands covering her red face, and quickly opens another chat to her best friend Jasmine. Kate watches her twin bounce between the two conversations: reading the advice Jasmine was giving her on how to talk to the boy, and then actually typing words to her crush.

"I don't get it," Kate remarks, shaking her head. "What do you see in him?" All the jocks at her school were class-clown-jerk types who only cared about their specific sport and nothing else. Her confusion towards her twin's crush could also come from the fact that none of those guys had even looked in her direction their entire middle school career, so she assumed it was the same for her twin. And obviously, she was very wrong.

"He's cute and nice and he makes me laugh and we get along really well," Tess answers, smiling. After reading another message from Jasmine, Tess stands from her desk, leaves her room and goes to the top of the stairs. "Dad!" she shouts. "Can I go the mall with Jazz, Desi, and Braden?"

"Who's taking you?" Doug replies without pausing. He knew plans like that almost always involved him driving a group of teenage girls around and ended with him having a giant headache from all their talking and screaming.

"Jazmine's mom is going to drop us off."

"And who's picking you up?"

"I was hoping you could," Tess requests, her dad not seeing the tilt of her head or her toe digging into the hardwood landing.

"Find another way home, and then you can go," Doug says, not wanting any involvement in this plan, even on the twins birthday.

"Thank you!" Tess shouts, dashing back to her computer. After a minute, she calls through the open door, "Jasmine said her mom could pick us up too!"

Kate had retreated back to her room and missed her sister rummaging through her closet to find the perfect outfit, finally deciding on a long-sleeved black floral dress and black combat boots that were originally Kate's, but Tess had somehow ended up with. Tess adds her iconic black rune necklace - a representative of her favorite books series: The Mortal Instruments - and swipes on a deep burgundy lipstick to amp up her normally minimal makeup.

When Jasmine's text message signaling her arrival comes through, Tess grabs the new purse she had received for her birthday and dashes downstairs and outside to join her friends.

Kate waits another few minutes after she heard her sister leave before venturing downstairs. She stops in the doorway of her dad's office and watches him type on his computer, looking between paper articles and digital text. "You know why Tess went to the mall right?" Kate asks.

"Yeah: to hang out with her friends," Doug answers, not meeting his daughter's eyes.

"She's meeting a boy," Kate corrects, leaving the office and her stunned and confused dad for the living room. With her mom and sister out running errands, her twin off hunting her crush, and her dad buys with work and the knowledge of Tess' actual plans, Kate finally has the TV all to herself and she plans to enjoy every second of it.

[][]

Tess returns home a few hours later, heralded by her younger sister's shouts. "Good, Tess is home. Can we go eat now?"

"Are you hungry, Tess?" Carol asks, looking over the couch at her daughter. "Can you eat?"

"Sure," Tess shrugs. And a few minutes later, the entire family is in the car and on the way to Kate and Tess' favorite restaurant. Sitting next to each other in the backseat, Kate tries to get information out of her twin, because judging by the flighty, far-away look on Tess' face, the meeting with Wes went well. "I'll tell you later," Tess whispers, smiling at her sister. She had so much to tell.

They didn't have to wait long to be seated, and Addison and Tess rushed to claim the two seats next to the ocean-side window. The birthday girls were treated to virgin cocktails and anything they wanted off the menu.

Addison gets the conversation flowing with stories from her rehearsals for The Nutcracker which dissolves into Kate's question of the whole point of the ballet; how it doesn't make sense that a wooden toy could come alive. By the time their food arrives, the family is wrapped up in a spirited discussion, and Kate even asks their waiter his opinion on the show. The young man explains he's never seen it, but the music is pretty cool. Which then leads the family down the rabbit hole of which modern music could be used to update the play.

Dessert, accompanied by a few of the restaurant staff singing the twins a birthday song, ends the night. Everyone digs into the brownie-ice cream goodness, teasing Addison when she spills a bite down the front of her shirt. But the night truly ends when Carol knocks over a full cup of water, drenching the entire table and her lap. All three Ross children tease their mom on the way out, and they squeal with giggles as she pinches their sides as rebuttal for it.

[][]

When they arrive home, Kate is quick to grab her twin's hand and drags them both upstairs, bursting to know what happened at the mall that day.

"Okay, spill," Kate says once they pass the threshold of Tess' room, closing the door behind them.

"Oh my god! It was amazing!" Tess exclaims, smiling. She lays across her bed on her stomach, toeing off her shoes and crossing her feet in the air. "Well when we got there, Jazz and I just walked around waiting for Wes and his friends to get there. And so when they got there we hung out a bit with everyone."

"Okay," Kate prompts.

"Well then when everyone was looking in Spencers, he took my hand and we kinda snuck off," Tess says, hiding her red face in her blankets.

"You snuck off?" Kate gasps. "What did you do?"

"We just walked around. He told stories. Like did you know Wes' grandfather fought in the Korean War? Or that he's already memorized the verse he's reading for his Bar Mitzvah?" Tess was smiling wider now and had flipped to her back. She was playing with her hands, trying to dispel the energy coursing through her. "So then we found the pet store and he convinced the guy there to let us pet the puppies. And he was so cute! I have never seen a boy look like that with a puppy before!" She smiles, covering her face, elated at the memory. "And then-" she pauses, looking up at her twin hanging off her every word, "he kissed me."

"What!?" Kate shouts.

"Be quiet! Mom and dad are gonna hear you!" Tess says, sitting up.

"I know! But oh my god! What was it like?"

"It was nice," Tess smiles. "We were standing outside the pet store again, and he told me how cool it was hanging out with me. He said I was just chill and he didn't have to put on an act with me. And then he kissed me. It was kinda quick, but his lips were soft and I got all these butterflies in my stomach.

"Wow," Kate sighs, happy for her sister.

"Yeah," Tess agrees.

"So what now?" Kate asks. Her twin shrugs, going for her computer.

"We'll find out at school tomorrow."

"Well then: I wish you luck with that," Kate says, squeezing her sister's shoulders and retreating to her bedroom.

Sitting on her bed, Kate realized something felt not quite right. Sure. she felt happy for her sister. Tess had been crushing on Wes for months and finally got somewhere with him. But Kate felt something else.

Jealousy? Maybe. But it was something else; something she couldn't describe.


End file.
